Tema, March 12, – Alhaji Dr
Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President and Chairman of the Ghana Armed Forces
Council, on Monday commissioned a Naval Barracks at the Eastern Naval Base in
Tema for the Ghana Navy.
The construction of the GH¢101.2
million (US 39 million) facility began in June 2014, under the Ministry of
Works and Housing, and executed by Amandi Holdings Limited.
It is the first major barracks
for the Ghana Navy, and it would accommodate 368 personnel and their families.
The barracks is fully gated and
its made up of 23 blocks, comprising a total of 368 apartments.
Out of the 23 blocks, eight are
three-bedroom flats and the remaining 15 are two-bedroom flats.
The residential facility also
comes with a multi-purpose sports facility and a playing ground for personnel
and their families.
Vice President Bawumia said the
Ghana Navy had been saddled with accommodation problems for a very long time;
stating that “it is the only service within the Ghana Armed Forces, which does
not have a well-planned Barracks”.
“This unfortunate situation has
compelled most naval personnel to stay in rented civilian accommodation
scattered all over Accra and Tema, and to compound the situation, this has made
it difficult to mobilise personnel at short notice to respond to emergencies
thereby negatively affecting operational effectiveness,” he said.
“These completed units could not
have come at a better time. Housing is a basic human need and the desire for a
home is every human being’s dream,” he added.
He said the provision of housing
was key to the overall development of any nation, as it impacts directly on the
social, health and economic status of citizens.
He said Government had a master
plan, which was anchored on its overall commitment to improving the living
conditions of the gallant security personnel.
The Vice President said
Government would soon roll out the National Barracks Regeneration Programme to
invest in the rehabilitation and upgrading of living quarters across the
country.
Alhaji Dr Bawumia said the
completion of the maiden Naval Barracks was another step in the overall
development and modernisation of facilities for the Ghana Armed Forces and
improvements in their accommodation.
He said the modernisation of
facilities and the improvement of accommodation in the military barracks
contribute in a very positive way to the morale and esprit-de-corps of the
security services.
He said the Government was
working around the clock to reduce the housing deficit currently facing the
country.
“The country’s housing deficit is
in excess of 1.7 million units and this is expected to rise to two million by
2020, if swift measures are not taken,” the Vice President said.
“It is also estimated that over
50 million Ghanaians live in sub-standard houses, dilapidated inner city
dwellings, uncompleted houses, shops, kiosks and other unsuitable structures.”
He said there was also an
undersupply of annual requirements of housing units, that is, while current
supply stands at about 35,000 to 40,000 units per annum; and that, the actual
need per annum was over 170,000 units.
He said the Ministry of Works and
Housing was working tirelessly to address the problems bedevilling housing
delivery in the country.
He said the Government had
commenced discussions with Messrs Sinohydro Corporation Limited for the
construction of 40,000 houses and court structures for the GAF, Ghana Police
Service, Ghana Prison Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana National Fire
Service and the Judicial Service.
The Vice President said the
Government had also made considerable progress with Amandi Holdings to commence
Phase Three of the Security Housing Project for the Ghana Police Service.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Rear
Admiral P. Kofi Faidoo expressed gratitude to the Government for providing them
with the facility.
“I must say, that it is going to
bring significant relief not only to the Ghana Navy as a Service, but also to
personnel who will be privileged to occupy the flats,” he said.
Mr Hezi Makmal, Chief Executive
of Amandi Holdings, said one of Amandi’s goals was to always find sustainable
solutions to the housing problem in the country.
Mrs Freda Prempeh, Deputy
Minister of Works and Housing said the Government intends to commence the
construction of affordable housing units at Bolgatanga, Cape Coast, Ho,
Takoradi and Sunyani.
Mr Dominic Nitiwul, Minister of
Defence, urged the occupants of the Naval Barracks to maintain the facility.
GNA
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